Team Warrior Wins All-Star Game

BOSTON, Mass. - Midfielder Stephen Peyser scored the game-winning goal with 2:49 remaining in the fourth quarter as Team Warrior rallied to edge Team Authority by a 21-20 margin in front of 11,186 fans at the 2011 Sports Authority Major League Lacrosse All-Star Game at Harvard Stadium on Saturday evening.

It marked the third straight year that the All-Star Game was decided by a single point.

Team Authority took a 2-0 lead just 3:19 into the first quarter on back-to-back goals from midfielders Peet Poillon and Martin Cahill. But, Team Warrior responded with three consecutive goals, including a goal and two assists from attackman Brendan Mundorf, to take a 3-2 lead with 4:09 remaining in the period.

With 3:03 left, midfielder Mike Ward tied the game at 3-3 by scoring off a feed from Poillon.

Led by a two-point goal from Peyser, Team Warrior opened the second quarter with four consecutive points to regain a 7-3 lead with 11:26 remaining. However, Team Authority put together a five-goal run, including a pair of markers from midfielder Michael Kimmel, to take an 8-7 advantage with 2:39 remaining in the first half.

After midfielder Brad Ross scored a two-point goal to give Team Warrior a 9-8 advantage, Team Authority scored twice in the final 22 seconds to take a 10-9 lead at the intermission.

Midfielder Ben Hunt opened the second half by scoring a two-point goal just 14 seconds into the third quarter, giving Team Warrior an 11-10 cushion. After Team Authority scored a pair of goals from midfielder Max Seibald and attackman Ryan Boyle, Team Warrior used a five-goal run to take a 16-12 lead with 4:16 left in the stanza. Attackman Matt Danowski scored twice during the spurt.

After the teams exchanged goals, Team Authority trimmed the deficit to 17-16 with a pair of goals, including a two-point tally from Kimmel, in the final 32 seconds of the third quarter.

Ross and Hunt upped Team Warrior's advantage to 19-16 in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter with back-to-back goals before Kimmel scored a pair of two-point goals in a three-minute span, giving Team Authority a 20-19 lead with 7:22 remaining in regulation.

With 6:22 left, midfielder Pat Heim tied the game with an unassisted goal before Peyser scored to give Team Warrior a one-point advantage it did not relinquish.

Ross led Team Warrior with three goals, including a two-point marker, while Hunt and Peyser each scored two goals, including a two-point tally. Mundorf added a goal with three assists for Team Warrior, which outshot Team Authority by a 52-44 margin.

Kimmel earned Bud Light Player of the Game honors after setting an All-Star Game record with his nine-point effort for Team Authority . He scored five goals, including an All-Star Game record three two-point goals, and added an assist. Meanwhile, Poillon scored two goals with two assists in a losing effort while attackman Ned Crotty contributed two goals with an assist.

In addition, the annual Bud Light Skills Competition was held during half-time of Saturday night's game. Midfielder Paul Rabil of Team Authority won the Freestyle Contest after jumping over a car in his shot. Meanwhile, defenseman Kyle Hartzell won the Fastest Shot contest with a 102 m.p.h. shot and goalkeeper Jesse Schwartzman earned the inaugural Goalie Gauntlet title after completing the event in 21 seconds.